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Point out news stories, on the net or in mainstream media, related to polywell fusion.

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Betruger
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Post by Betruger »

His last article made it sound like what little info it contained was all EMC2 agreed to disclose.

ladajo
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Post by ladajo »

IntLibber wrote:I would argue that the amount of funding polywell requires is trivial compared to what the DoE is already wasting on NIF, tokamak, and other immense wastages. I can easily see the Navy getting the DoE's funding for fusion nixed while they move polywell to black budget.
Seriously, what would be the point of the navy moving Polywell to the classified side? It has been unclass all this time, what would they gain other than a larger admin burden, and proof positive that they are on to something...thus causing others to get serious about it instead of a more or less wait and see for those who are following.

It is not like we could hide the fact we are making a major change to powering ships. Makes no sense.

DeltaV
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Post by DeltaV »

So ambiguity of results serves the Navy's purpose.

The best clues might be found in shipyards, namely Polywell-consistent ship modifications.

ladajo
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Post by ladajo »

Like the "Electric Ship" program. We have and are making many changes to new builds as well as retro-fits to move towards all-electric platforms. One of the follow-on programs includes HVDC switchgear. I have provided links to these before.

Skipjack
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Post by Skipjack »

Like the "Electric Ship" program. We have and are making many changes to new builds as well as retro-fits to move towards all-electric platforms. One of the follow-on programs includes HVDC switchgear. I have provided links to these before.
Yes, I have been wondering about all this too. Why have the inefficiency of creating electricity first, unless you have a very good and cheap source of electricity on board?
If I was more optimistic, I would guess that the Navy is expecting to have something coming up for that, could be the Polywell, could be DPFs or some FRC device, or something completely differnt. Definitely noteworthy...

ladajo
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Post by ladajo »

Man that sucks.

I wrote up a bnice post tracking power loads verses propulsion from WWII to modern day, and then lost it.

Crap.

Bottom line,

WWII DD-692 60K SHP with 1MW Electrical (Sumner Class)

Cold War DDG-51 100K SHP with about 7.5MW (Burke Class)

Modern DDG-1000 95K SHP with total power generated at 78MW (Zumwalt Class)

We add about 1.2 MW per decade to non-propulsive power needs.
Propulsive power in WWII was about 30K SHP per shaft, with it now at 50K SHP per shaft.

The normal split between propulsion and ship loads is about 90/10. Recent trends are slowly pushing this to the right. Zumwalt comes in at about 89/11, while CVNs are even more so with EMALS.

The other one was more detailed and thought out, sorry I lost it.

ladajo
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Post by ladajo »

Zumwalt is also a 4160VAC generation setup with conversion to 4KV DC for distribution.

IntLibber
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Post by IntLibber »

ladajo wrote:Zumwalt is also a 4160VAC generation setup with conversion to 4KV DC for distribution.
Thats a lotta volts, dangerous even.

rcain
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Post by rcain »

IntLibber wrote:
ladajo wrote:Zumwalt is also a 4160VAC generation setup with conversion to 4KV DC for distribution.
Thats a lotta volts, dangerous even.
dangerous volts + seawater = ?! hmm

ladajo
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Post by ladajo »

Ships use an "ungrounded" system. It allows for a fault without catostrophic failure.

rcain
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Post by rcain »

ladajo wrote:Ships use an "ungrounded" system. It allows for a fault without catostrophic failure.
presumably so wet sailors don't get fried against the bulkhead walls as they drown - heaven forbid..

ladajo
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Post by ladajo »

Naw, it is for the equipment. any phase can ground, and everything will still run. You need to ground two phases to starting blowing things up.

rcain
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Post by rcain »

ladajo wrote:Naw, it is for the equipment. any phase can ground, and everything will still run. You need to ground two phases to starting blowing things up.
aha, al is clar.

ladajo
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Post by ladajo »

The drama comes when you have a phase ground, and somebody touches the hull and something on a different phase at the same time.

"Induced Pain" is the technical term I think. :D

bennmann
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Post by bennmann »

ladajo wrote:The drama comes when you have a phase ground, and somebody touches the hull and something on a different phase at the same time.

"Induced Pain" is the technical term I think. :D
This kills the seaman.

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